I'm about to get preachy, brace yourself-
I know you may not find the sarcastic replies particularly savory... But know it's from years of callouses. These guys have been bent over by sources and seen friends taken advantage of. They find it unfair for new members to have a handout given to them. I understand that.
To publicly ask for advice will paint you as low hanging fruit, not to imply you are inept, just a fact of how predators will view things.
Universally, I believe we should all be allowed access to good gear, but im not king yet. If I were new in this game, and could do it all over again, I would've spent months researching sources before spending a dime. I have purchased a fair bit of vegetable oil at a premium price, with a pretty little label.
Best regards.